The synthesis of linear alpha, omega difunctional molecules is currently limited to a few special cases where the chemistry is specific for only a few reactants, or where the chemistry is general but the required reactants are not generally available. For example, the ring opening of tetrahydrofuran to 1,4-butanediol is a highly efficient way to make this particular alpha, omega diol. However, ring opening of higher molecular weight cyclic ethers does not proceed as well as the ring opening of tetrahydrofuran nor are cyclic ethers readily available in a wide range of carbon numbers. Therefore, the ring opening method for synthesizing alpha, omega difunctional molecules is limited to a small carbon-number range of diols. Another method for synthesizing linear alpha, omega difunctional molecules is the synthesis of adipic acid via the two step oxidation of cyclohexane. This method is limited by the lack of a wide range of other cycloalkanes. A further method for synthesizing linear alpha, omega difunctional molecules is the ethenolysis of cyclooctene to deca-1,9diene. This method is also limited by the lack of a wide range of other cycloalkenes.
All of the above methods for synthesizing linear alpha, omega difunctional molecules are very specific processes and not adaptable to synthesizing linear alpha, omega difunctional molecules other than the few difunctional molecules for which the method is specific or the reactants are readily available. There is, therefore, a need to find a general process for preparing a wide carbon-number range of linear alpha, omega difunctional molecules. The invention described herein is, therefore, directed to a general process for preparing linear alpha, omega difunctional molecules.